The Bittersweet Island Goodbye Blog Top Five: Part One

Okay, y'all...It's our first edition of the Bittersweet Island Goodbye Blog Top Five...This week's deals with the most memorable pictures I have posted on this blog in the past two years...Since I'll be leaving American Samoa in about a month or so, this is a perfect way for all of us to reminisce about the experiences I have had on this South Pacific island...Anyways, I sorta cheated...I really wanted to remind y'all of those pictures above of my family dressin' up as grannies (including myself)...Not only because they're embarrisingly funny, but also because those pics really represent the reason why I love and miss my family so much...They're silly, and I'm not afraid to be silly with them...I'm completely my true self with 'em...But then I was thinkin'...Do these pictures really represent my experience here in American Samoa?...Do they embody my adventure here?...Well, besides maybe symbolizing my homesickness, I thought I better stick to the topic...Let us begin the countdown...

Top Five Samoa Joe Blog Unforgettable Pictures:

5. Miss Josephina Nemina = Mmmm, I look sexy as a lady...Don't I?...Aww, don't be hatin'...Jealous!...I will always remember this day...I was the star of Tafuna High School that day...The kids were surprised and delighted by my bravery...And I was proud of myself, too...Not only because I had the guts to dress as a chick for the day, but also because I truly felt I was comfortable with the island that day...I put myself out there...And I became a part of the island high school history...The first palagi man to become a fafafine!...

4. Lisa and William In the Kitchen at the Tessarea = Wow...I look at this image and I cannot believe I was there for it...Do you know what I mean?...I know I was there to take the picture...And I have memories of experiencing this place...But I don't believe I was really there...This was actually taken on the first weekend we came to American Samoa...The Tessarea, a hotel, was our home for the first two weeks...William, Lisa, and I would have to cook all of our meals in this kitchen...In a matter of three days or so we three were suddenly thrust together, forced to shop and explore and cook and live together...It's crazy lookin' back on this picture...

3. Gene and Sammy on St. Patrick's Day = I, of course, had to include a photo of Sammy and Gene...I know, I know...There's a ton of pictures of the fuams...And there's probably better pictures...Besides, this picture was not taken too long ago...But, for some odd reason, I feel this picture best represents Sammy and Gene...Their spirits are captured wonderfully in this image...And my heart can't help but be warmed when seeing this image...I'll never forget this obnoxiously green moment...A moment of fuam-tastic cheers...

2. House on Top of Asu = I adore this picture...I think it's beautiful...And it shows the glory and stunningness of this island...Do you notice the shoreline towards the rear of the photo?...That always reminds me of how tiny this lil' rock in the middle of the ocean is...But then I see the mountains and it reminds me of the majesty of this island...And then there's the heavenly, peaceful white home...This photo authentically encompasses the exquisiteness of American Samoa...

1. Me in My Lava Lava = There was no question at all about this picture being at the top of the list...By far this is the one photo that appears in my mind when I recall my experiences here on the island...When I think of my Samoa Joe Blog, this is the image that comes to my mind...There I was...I never knew American Samoa even existed a few months before this pic was flashed...And suddenly there I was...In a "man skirt"...In a tin roofed classroom with no windows...And ghetto wood tables...It's all very surreal...Ethereal...I mean, were those first few days and weeks a dream?...It's like when people say that victims of abuse mentally block out bad memories of their childhood...It's a defense mechanism...I sometimes feel that's what I was doing in August of 2006...Because if I really sat and thought about what I was doing and the culture of Samoa and how different it was from my own culture, I would've ran far away from this god-forsaken island...So, I pretended it wasn't real...A dream...And now when I look back at this picture, I can't believe the strength, courage, forbearance, and patience I showed...Me in My Lava Lava...A proud, otherworldly moment...

Alright...That was the first edition of our Bittersweet Island Goodbye Blog Top Five...Thank you all for your suggestions and votes...I got a ton of votes for the most unforgettable pictures, and I was about to make this list have ten images instead of five...But I didn't have the time...So, it was difficult to just pick cinco...But I encourage all of you to go back to those old blog entries and remember, along with me, this bizarre, splendid Samoan adventure I have had...Anyways, the next list deals with the Top Five Most Unforgettable Samoa Joe Video Clips...Which YouTube vids did you watch and enjoy?...Which videos are memorable to you?...Which video clips summarize my experiences on this island?...Which video clips were awesome?...Entertaining?...Please, send me your votes so I can compile our next list...This blog has been yours as well as mine...Therefore, I need all of you to help me create this list of the Top Five Most Unforgettable Samoa Joe Video Clips...Thank you all...

I love ya and miss ya...And wish I could meet ya ;-)

-JOE

The following dialogue is from 1996's Muppet Treasure Island

Dr. Livesay: Say, I know what's happening here. You chaps are planning to sail to this island, aren't you? To dig up this treasure.

Jim Hawkins: Yes, but we must be quiet about it. There are pirates looking for this map.

Gonzo: Yeah, and they want to KILL us for it! Isn't that exciting?